By Burnett Munthali
Honourable Kondwani Nankhumwa has opened up about the deep betrayal he faced from senior members within the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP).
He has claimed that some senior figures in the party misled him into rising up against the party’s former President, Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, with the aim of ousting him from his leadership position.
Speaking in Nchisi on Thursday, Nankhumwa, now President of the People’s Development Party (PDP), said he had been a loyal and trustworthy ally of Peter Mutharika.
He revealed that Mutharika entrusted him with sensitive duties and responsibilities — tasks that others were not comfortable or trusted enough to undertake.
Nankhumwa said this deep level of trust made the betrayal even more painful.
He explained that certain individuals approached him with ill intentions, planting ideas and encouraging him to challenge Mutharika’s leadership.
Unfortunately, Nankhumwa admitted, he realized far too late that he had been misled by people who had their own personal agendas.
He confessed that once he became aware of the manipulation, he felt too embarrassed to return to the DPP.
This, he said, is what ultimately kept him from rejoining the party he once served with pride and commitment.
Touching on the issue of political alliances, Nankhumwa clarified that he has not yet made any formal decisions.
He emphasized that, contrary to public speculation, he is not currently in any talks with the ruling Malawi Congress Party (MCP).
He was firm in his statement that there are no ongoing negotiations between his PDP and the MCP regarding any form of coalition or alliance.
The once-powerful politician, who now appears to have lost much of his influence, began to lose political ground in 2021.
That year, he was reportedly convinced by certain individuals to seize control of the DPP, sparking internal divisions and chaos.
What followed was a series of leadership battles that left Nankhumwa politically bruised and isolated.
Now, as the leader of a relatively new and smaller party, he is reflecting publicly on the mistakes of the past and the cost of misplaced trust.
Nankhumwa’s story offers a rare glimpse into the behind-the-scenes dynamics of political power struggles in Malawi.
It also reveals how ambition, manipulation, and betrayal can reshape the careers of even the most promising politicians.
Whether his latest revelations will gain him public sympathy or political revival remains to be seen.
But one thing is clear — Kondwani Nankhumwa’s political journey continues to be one of Malawi’s most controversial and complex narratives.
